Buffalo, NY- Today Erie County Legislator Patrick Burke officially announced his candidacy for the New York State Assembly’s 142nd District, which includes South Buffalo and Kaisertown, Lackawanna, West Seneca, and Orchard Park.

“As a community advocate and father of three, I want to see politicians in Albany who aren’t afraid to think independently and have the experience to get things done with integrity. I believe I possess those qualities, and with your support we can work on the things that matter,” Burke said. “I will be running as a Democrat whether there’s a special election in the spring or a general election in the fall. I look forward to listening to, learning from, and hopefully representing the people of the 142nd District in the coming months.”

“When I arrived at County Hall, it was characterized as a place where nothing ever gets done. In my four years serving as a member of the minority caucus, things have certainly changed,” Burke continued. “We were the first county to ban plastic microbeads, paving the way for others to follow suit until a federal ban was enacted. That legislation took over a year to pass, and I worked across the aisle to craft a law with broad support from both sides. I followed that up with the PENCE Bill protecting children by banning the universally discredited form of child abuse: gay conversion therapy. And I stood up to Time Warner Cable’s monopolistic control of our region by forming the Erie County Broadband Network – long before Congress voted to sell Americans’ data to the highest bidder and the FCC’s vote to abandon net neutrality protections. In light of these actions, a county broadband system is more important now than ever. I believe my record of independence, ability to stand up to powerful as well as party interests, and ability to get things done for our community are why it’s time to take this fight to the Assembly.”